Saturday, September 22, 2012

Beecroft is confirmed, Nouri's not going to New York

Kitabat reports Robert S. Beecroft was confirmed by the US Senate today -- on a voice vote -- as US Ambassador in Iraq. The article notes that Beecroft has been serving as Charge d'Affaires and acting ambassador since James Jeffrey quit his post (US Ambassador to Iraq) months ago. They note that he graduated from Brigham Young University and went to college in Berkeley California (UC Berkeley Law School for his law degree) and that he was chosen after the disgraceful Brett McGurk was forced to resign as the nominee back in June.

Beecroft still has to get be sworn in before he departs from Iraq. Even so, he may be Jalal Talabani to Baghdad. The Iraqi president was earlier reported to be arriving in Baghdad on Tuesday. Al Mada reports today that they are now saying it will be the end of next week. The article makes no mention of Jalal being unable to find a vehicle sturdy enough to support his massive girth but maybe they were just being kind? Why the pimping of Jalal as savior of Iraq?

Because he's a backstabber who stood by Nouri. And this is the prep-phase of the spin war. Jalal will be hailed as "the good Kurd." And, they just know, this will make all others out to be "the bad Kurds." It's an idiotic plan and when I first heard of it being tossed around, I thought someone would point out how stupid it was and how it would be a waste of time and money. I was wrong. They appear to honestly believe that people are stupid and will forget everything that's taken place for nearly two year with just a little freshly crafted spin.

It's supposed to go like this: Jalal hails Nouri's 'leadership' and praises his 'plan' and then, look, these others won't go along and POOF! all the past has vanished and all the Iraqi people know is that Jalal and Nouri are in agreement -- a Kurd and Shi'ite! -- so everyone should be!

Reality, Nouri and Jalal are almost always in agreement. With the exception of his participation in the April 2012 meet-up and his advocating for a no-confidence vote, Jalal's always been on Nouri's side. What appeared to be a change of heart in April 2012 really looks now like Jalal participated with the intent of de-railing anything that might happen so Nouri would be safe. (And considering how he stabbed Moqtada, Ayad Allawi, Massoud Barzani and others in the back at the end of May as he refused to forward the legitimate petition onto the Parliament, it really looks like Jalal came into that meeting to spy.)

KRG President President Massoud Barzani addressed the World Conference in Rome yesterday. He noted that the Kurdistan Democracy Party (his political party) was founded in 1946 and that the party supports equality, social justice and diversity. He spoke of the KRG Parliament which has 111 members, from 11 political parties, 33% of the members are women. The people are free to be Muslim, Christians and Yezidis. He noted the exodus from centeral Iraq to the KRG since 2003 and the success the region has in terms of security and business. All Iraq News states he also made remarks about how the KRG will not live under a dictatorial regime and that the Iraqi government must comply with the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the United Nations just dodged a bullet. It's getting time for the annual Iraqi government begging of please-please-take-us-out-of-Chapter-VII. Nouri was planning to make the pitch this year but, Al Mada reports, he's now decided not to go to New York because the White House has refused to arrange a face-to-face with Nouri while he is in the US. This is seen as an insult. (It may just be that October is a serious campaign month for the US presidential election and Barack will also be taking part in three debates that month.)

Alsumaria notes that Nineveh Province Governor Ethel Nujaifi declared today that sectarian militias are behind the attacks on mosques and clerics. In other news of violence, Alsumaria notes a Salahuddin Province home invasion today in which the son of a government official was killed, a Salahuddin Province roadside bombing claimed the lives of 5 Iraqi soldiers, a Mosul car bombing left two explosive experts injured (they were attempting to defuse the bomb), a Diyala Province roadside bombing left three farmers injured, and 6 people were arrested in Nineveh Province on charges of 'terrorism.'

In addition, Al Mada reports that Bashar Mustafa has been released by authorities. Iraq's Deputy Olympic Committee President was at his home when police raided it after midnight, he was then held for hours before he was finally released.

The following community sites -- plus Pacifica Eveing News -- updated last night and today:

Thank you so much for listening over the years and for your many kindnesses and support of the program. But the time has come for me to move on.

The last episode of The Bat Segundo Show will air shortly before Election Day. The schedule for the last shows — and I'm not sure how many there will be, but we'll probably have around ten more — will be intermittent and irregular. This wasn't an easy choice, but it was a necessary one.

You can read a detailed description of my reasons for ending the show here:

The final episode of The Bat Segundo Show will be recorded at McNally Jackson, located at 52 Prince Street, on October 3, 2012 at 7:00 PM with J. Robert Lennon, who is a deeply underappreciated writer. Lennon, who appeared previously on the 300th episode of The Bat Segundo Show, is one of the most underrated writers working today and I can't think of a more fitting way to end the program. Please stop by and say hello if you can.

This was a very fun part of my life, but I've got to move on. Thanks to friends and loved ones who put up with me. Thanks to the writers and other folks who came on the show, and the publicists who took chances with my format. Thanks to everyone who listened.

About Me

We do not open attachments. Stop e-mailing them. Threats and abusive e-mail are not covered by any privacy rule. This isn't to the reporters at a certain paper (keep 'em coming, they are funny). This is for the likes of failed comics who think they can threaten via e-mails and then whine, "E-mails are supposed to be private." E-mail threats will be turned over to the FBI and they will be noted here with the names and anything I feel like quoting.
This also applies to anyone writing to complain about a friend of mine. That's not why the public account exists.